1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a locking member for locking the rings of a loose leaf ring binder so that the rings of the binder cannot be opened. A locking tab maintains the locking member in a locked position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Loose leaf ring binders are well-established in the prior art. However, the rings of loose leaf ring binders frequently snap open at undesirable times. This can be accidental or intentional. An accidental opening can occur spilling the sheets of paper from the loose leaf ring binder, particularly if the ring binder is retaining more than the optimal number of sheets of papers. Additionally, such undesirable openings can be intentional, such as a customer at a store opening the rings of a ring binder of a store catalog and removing sheets from the ring binder.
One prior art solution has been to use a setscrew to constrain the leaf springs of the binder to a closed position. However, the cost of the setscrew, as well as the cost of installing the setscrew, has been high. Moreover, the installation and removal of the setscrew has required the use of a hex head wrench, which can be inconvenient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,755 entitled "Binder with Security Lock Feature" and issued on Jul. 7, 1992 to Bee discloses a binder with a security lock feature including front and back cover panel connected by a spring and a page-holding mechanism attached to the spine on the inside of the binder for releasably holder pages in the binder. A security lock prevents the latching member from being moved to its release position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,529 entitled "Ring Binder" and issued on Feb. 17, 1998 to Chan discloses a ring binder with a wire and lock element to lock the leaf springs of at least one of the pairs of half ring members while it is closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,847 entitled "Loose Leaf Binder Assembly and Spine Therefor" and issued on Dec. 2, 1997 to Zane et al. discloses a loose ring leaf binder assembly, including a spine with two long parallel rods spaced parallel from each other, with a spring biasing one of the rods into a down position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,324 entitled "Binders" and issued on Sep. 16, 1997 to Aoki discloses a loose leaf binder wherein the lock members can engage each other when two strips are put together in the closed position.
However, this prior art either requires a substantial redesign of the standard loose leaf ring binder, is too costly or inconvenient, or does not directly address a loose leaf ring binder.